Kiddie Junction

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.

Background

Kiddie Junction is a home-based service licensed for children from birth to school age. There are currently 12 educators who work in homes, providing education and care for up to four children at a time. The service owner oversees day-to-day operations and a coordinator visits homes monthly to provide curriculum guidance and support to educators. 

Summary of Review Findings

Educators engage in meaningful and positive interactions that enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The service curriculum respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture and encourages children to understand and respect other cultures. Regular opportunities are provided for parents to communicate with educators and coordinators about their child, share specific evidence of the child’s learning and be involved in decision-making concerning their child.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

• ensuring all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014
• obtaining a police vet of every person who is 17 years or over who lives in a home where the service is being provided; and where at least one child to whom the service is being provided does not live in the home; the police vet must be obtained even if the person is unlikely to be present when the licensed home-based education and care service is provided.

Licensing Criteria for Homebased Education and Care Services 2008, GMA6A; Education and Training Act 2020, 25.

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• a means of keeping perishable food at a temperature at or below 4⁰C (PF13)
• hazards to the safety of children are eliminated, isolated or minimised, consideration of hazards must include but is not limited to poisonous plants (HS11).

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence issued to this service provider. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

8 April 2021 

Information About the Service

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based or home-based education and care service:

• having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
• previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
• that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
• that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
• where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of the service completed an ERO Home-based Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

• curriculum
• premises and facilities
• health and safety practices
• governance, management and administration.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher certification; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

• discussions with those involved in the service
• consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
• observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.